HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-19-2022 Minutes Tree Board Regular Meeting
101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278
919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov
TREE BOARD MINUTES | 1 of 3
Minutes
TREE BOARD
Remote regular meeting
9 a.m. Jan. 19, 2022
Virtual meeting via YouTube Live
Town of Hillsborough YouTube channel
Present: Chair Casey Collins, Sharon Billings, Tim Logue and Greg
Yavelak
Absent: Linda Paynter
Staff: Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie Trueblood
1. Call to order, roll call and confirmation of quorum
Chair Casey Collins called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie
Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum.
2. Agenda changes and approval
There were no changes. The agenda stood as presented.
3. Minutes review and approval
Minutes from regular meeting on Oct. 20, 2021, and Nov. 17, 2021
Motion: Member Sharon Billings moved to approve both sets of minutes. Member Greg Yavelak
seconded.
Vote: 4-0. Ayes: Billings, Collins, Tim Logue and Yavelak. Nays: None.
4. Action items
A. Approve meeting schedule for 2022
The schedule included a meeting for the third Wednesday of every month except December.
Motion: Billings moved to approve the schedule. Logue seconded.
Vote: 4-0. Ayes: Billings, Collins, Logue and Yavelak. Nays: None.
B. Review 2021 Annual Plan and develop 2022 Annual Plan
Trueblood reviewed the projects and actions of the board in 2021, which were also listed in the agenda
packet.
The packet also included a draft plan for 2022. Trueblood noted it did not include a tree inventory project,
which would involve volunteers inputting information about trees.
Motion: Logue moved to approve the annual plan for 2022 with the addition of a tree inventory project.
Yavelak seconded.
Vote: 4-0. Ayes: Billings, Collins, Logue and Yavelak. Nays: None.
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5. Discussion items
Memorial tree planting in honor of Liz Waters
Trueblood said Waters served on the Tree Board for more than a decade and recently passed away. Planting a
tree seemed like a fitting way to honor her memory.
Logue shared that he had not successfully reached Waters’ husband. He had also reached out to her pastor to
seek suggestions of locations for a tree planting.
The board expressed interest in planting a tree on the First Baptist Church property because Waters was an
active member there and that property has lost some trees in recent years. Trueblood shared the church has
a buildings and grounds committee and a master plan for plantings. Logue will contact the church to inquire
about interest in receiving a Tree Board tree planting in Liz Waters’ honor.
6. Updates
A. Garden Club/Bee City Subcommittee
Billings said a recent Garden Club presentation had informative information. She will ask if it is possible to
post the recorded presentations on the Garden Club website or share them with Tree Board members.
Trueblood will invite Sarah Meadows to the February Tree Board meeting to talk about Bee City initiatives.
B. Invasive Removal Program
Logue reported four to six volunteers meet Wednesdays at 1 p.m. to remove invasive plants along Riverwalk.
Trueblood said the progress is amazing.
Logue shared the hope is to eventually plant native shrubs where the invasives have been removed.
Trueblood said it would not be easy to water shrubs along Riverwalk. Collins recommended planting very
small/young shrubs for better chances of survival.
C. Staff
Trueblood reported:
• The Hillsborough Heights Pollinator Garden has been planted. It appears that deer have eaten several
of the smaller plant plugs.
• Callicarpa is thriving in Hillsborough. She thinks it would be good to make a large order of small
callicarpa plants to establish them where there are holes in stream buffers at Turnip Patch Park, Gold
Park and along the boardwalk section of Riverwalk.
• Some changes will be made to the Public Space budget this year. Facilities will have a separate
budget.
• The draft budget includes $10,000 for plantings and $15,000 for tree removals. She noted the budget
for removals had to increase due to the damage of the emerald ash borers.
Mixon Nelson and Bridget Booher introduced themselves to the board. Both are interested in serving on the
board.
7. Adjournment
Collins adjourned the meeting at 10:07 p.m.
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Respectfully submitted,
Stephanie Trueblood
Public Space and Sustainability Manager
Staff support to the Tree Board
Approved: Oct. 20, 2021